


between your waves

by duCOQUELICOT



Series: Zutara Week 2020 [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Awkward Encounters, Coming of Age, F/M, Misunderstandings, Reunion, Searching for his mother, Zutara Week, Zutara Week 2020, after the war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25534426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duCOQUELICOT/pseuds/duCOQUELICOT
Summary: Ten years after the comet, Zuko asks Katara to come to the Fire Nation palace. They haven't seen each other in a while, and Katara is nervous. It turns out Zuko has finally gotten a lead on where his mother might be, and wants Katara along for the ride. On the trip, old feelings resurface, and while there are numerous misunderstandings, they are still drawn to each other.Oneshot/prologue for Zutara Week 2020: Reunion.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zutara Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850281
Comments: 8
Kudos: 45
Collections: Zutara Week 2020





	between your waves

**Author's Note:**

> **He fell for her again, she watched it happen  
>  every day, day by day  
> but more important, night by night  
> she watched it all come into play  
>   
> \-- Fleetwood Mac**

The moment her ship enters the waters of the archipelago, an unfamiliar tingle creeps from the pit of her stomach, through her spine, to the nape of her neck. 

Katara strengthens her grip on the railing, as if she thought she might topple over, into the ocean. She casts a glance below her, watching the deep blue water shoot underneath the hull of her ship. Above her, seagulls screech, looking for prey to come above water, disturbed by the motions of her vessel.

"We're almost there, master Katara."

She smiles, although she didn't mean to. 

"Great. How long until we arrive?"

"Just another fifteen minutes, miss."

She doesn't answer. Her thoughts take her back to the last time she was here, in these waters, in this climate. 

Over the years, she has learned to distinguish between the different rhythms and spirits of her element. The icy waters around the Southern Water Tribe are mostly gentle, but with deep secrets, not unlike herself. It connects with her instantly, prickling her senses. 

The Northern waters are different. Stubborn, unforgiving, relentless. La's influence is unmistakable. Every time she's there, Katara notices how its water does not just behave differently - it smells differently, too. More salty.

But the ocean surrounding the Fire Nation is warm, and joyous. There are dolphins everywhere, the waters are full of life. 

She also remembers vividly the time when they weren't.

Ten years ago, she battled here, with her friends, to save the world. On the day of Sozin's Comet, they nearly lost - if she closes her eyes, she can bring back those blood-curdling moments. Clear as day, she always sees the same: fragments of blue, shattering from his chest as he hangs mid-air. As he touches the ground, the earth rumbles. 

Over time, the stomach aches softened. More and more nights passed without reliving those scenes in her dreams. She became capable of accepting the relentless fear inside her that froze her blood to the inside of her veins, and let it go. And so, when she thinks about it now, the sensations are only a sliver of the strength they once possessed.

She has grown. And so has he, she presumes.

She wouldn't know - they haven't spoken in forever.

* * *

Which, in all honesty, makes it even stranger that he asked her to come, she thinks as she steps off the ramp, onto solid ground. After so many days at sea, it takes her a few seconds to find her footing.

He is already waiting for her.

"Katara!" 

Zuko walks towards her. His steps are large, confident. Those of a ruler. She has seen it happen to her brother when he was inaugurated as chief. He had seemingly grown two inches that instant.

When she looks up to study the rest of his features, he is already right in front of her. He is tall, but so is she - an unexpected development that she has used to her advantage on several occasions. Men, she has found, are usually intimidated by tall women.

Not Zuko. He doesn't hesitate for a second, grips her by the shoulders and just… holds her, gazing into her eyes with his mouth slightly agape, corners lifted into a half-smile. She could have never forgotten this face.

"It's really you," he says. 

"Did you think I was going to send an apprentice?" She curls her lips, amused with herself. "Your letter was quite specific. Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

"But you _came_."

He sighs, releases the pressure on her shoulders. As he does this, the places where his hands were just a moment ago leave phantom sensations on her skin.

"I was just thinking about that. Why did you ask me here, anyway? Your letter didn't mention _that_. And don't take this the wrong way, but…" 

Her voice trails. She wants to say: _we haven't exactly been in touch the past few years_. But for some reason, she can't will herself into actually speaking.

Zuko lowers his eyes. With one hand, he wipes a stray strand of hair out of his face. Katara realizes she doesn't even see his scar anymore. It's as much a part of his face as his jawline. He is clean shaven, whereas her brother and Aang have tried to grow more and less impressive beards and mustaches over the years. She wonders if it's because of his father.

Because he looks nothing like him. Katara almost wants to compliment him on this, but stops herself. She has no idea if that's something he even wants to hear, and she doesn't want to offend him.

"So, why am I here?" she asks, in an attempt to talk over herself, lighten the tension she just single handedly created.

"Right. Uhm…" 

He glances to his sides, and Katara wonders if he's afraid they're being spied on.

"I asked you here because… I have some important news." His eyes are expectant, Katara would even go so far as to call it hopeful.

Now she understands. He wants to propose, and he asked her here because he has no idea how to do it. Admittedly, she's touched. But she can't escape the punch to her gut that knocks the wind out of her and cramps the muscles in her jaw. She worries her smile now looks like a terrifying grimace to him.

"I think I know where my mother is. And uh… I wanted to ask you to come with me to find her."

Katara is jerked back into reality with a shock. She opens her eyes wide, gawking at him. 

He takes a step back when he sees the expression on her face.

"Bad idea? You think it's a bad idea?" He raises his hand to his men, who are a couple of feet behind her. "You can stop, she thinks it's a bad idea. We're calling the whole thing off."

Immediately, she throws herself at him, hanging onto his raised arm to force it down again.

"Are you crazy? That's wonderful news! Don't even think about calling anything off."

"But…" he hesitates as he looks into her eyes. Being suddenly so close to him, she catches his scent. He smells like sandalwood and vanilla.

"I was surprised, that's all." She releases him, steps back to their original position and gives him some time to regain his composure.

"I see." He briefly touches his scar with his left hand. "Well, I'm glad you don't think it's stupid. When I got the news, I knew I had to ask you."

"Why?"

She can't help herself. She has tried to evade the question, but she is filled to the brim with uncertainty and she can't hold it any longer.

"Don't get me wrong, Zuko, it's an honor you have invited me here and I'm glad you did, but… It doesn't make sense. We haven't seen each other in years, we barely talk. I mean, I don't mind," - or does she? - "but why don't you ask Aang to come along, or Sokka? You're friends with them more than you are with me."

After this barrage of words, she pants, and licks her lips. They're cracked, as they usually are because of the dry cold in the Arctics. There's no use in balming them, she has learned to accept it.

Only then, she sees how pained his expression is.

"I'm sorry," he says, his voice not even half as loud as hers. "You're right. I should have reached out more."

"Hold on, it's not just your fault. I could have been more open myself." She flails her arms around her. "I guess I have to apologize as well for that." 

She can't tell him the reason why she so scarcely wrote him. After all, it wouldn't make sense: she had been with Aang at the time. How could she ever explain that seeing him with Mai hurt her more than she was willing to admit even to herself? That no matter how hard she tried, she hadn't been able to put her feelings aside and take comfort in their friendship? It had been a relief to travel around the world with Aang, an excuse to be away from those complicated situations. For the same reason, she gladly handed the position of chief to Sokka. Let him deal with Zuko on a regular basis, and I'll focus myself on the other dignitaries, she had thought. She didn't have to explain herself to anyone, as no one suspected a thing. When there was an invitation for a formal event in the Fire Nation, she either had other duties, or she went for a few hours, avoiding Zuko to the best of her abilities.

After years without being in direct contact with him, she started to think she might have exaggerated her feelings a little bit.

It only took these ten minutes of conversation to realize that she hadn't.

He grabs her hands, holds her fingers between his own. She is reminded of a firebender's heightened natural body temperature.

"Look, I didn't ask Aang or Sokka because…" he pauses. "This is something we have in common. I know your mother was Sokka's mother, too. But it's different."

They both know what that means.

"Alright, then." Carefully, she slides her hands out between his, and folds her thumbs underneath her fingers, making two fists. It's a comfortable position, although, she now realizes, also one that makes her look a little childish.

"Does that mean you're coming?" he asks, his head cocked to the side. He reminds her of a polar bear dog puppy.

"I guess so." 

She doesn't think she has ever seen him look so utterly delighted.

**Author's Note:**

> So for my first ZW I wanted to create seven prologues/first chapters for seven potential WIPs that I've had in my mind. I want to continue working on at least one, so if you read one that you like so much you'd want it to continue, please let me know!


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